Embroidering on the nostalgic purpose of it all.
With Unerthed, Toro y Moi reimagines his 2024 album Hole Erth, unplugging the electro-hyperpop album. Unerthed uses acoustic strings and untouched vocals where Hole Erth had distorted synth and heavy percussion. Several of the song’s transformations from their Hole Erth version serve to accentuate messages that were lost in that chaotically modern sound.
This is particularly noticeable with “CD-R”, the second track, which turns from a nostalgic funk rap into a handwritten love letter of indie folk. The lyrics dive into the beginning of Toro y Moi’s musical career, the opening line dropping the title, “I remember burning CD-Rs.” The song reflects on the past with layered vocals to echo back. Toro y Moi recalls their first tours: “Why they book us with no driving days? We beginners / Everyday’s a different interstate, tell me what’s today? / It’s transcendental.” The song brings back memories with mentions of talking on Blackberries and burning CDs laid over gentle guitars and piano phrases blending into each other.
Opening with decisive strums and echoing affirmative vocals, “Reseda” jumps right in. Like a garage band ready to leave the driveway, the song pulses with enthusiasm and energy. Clearly enunciated vocals with layered harmonies bring an emotionally charged passion to the strong guitar parts. The outro rings out “Weird how nostalgia / Comes back to haunt ya / Never been here before / If I did, it was a blur,” driving home a message of self-awareness of the past.
Like oversized pants that won’t stay up, the laid-back vibes of the album don’t always hit the mark. The energy of “Madonna,” track eight, feels misplaced amid the gentle rasp of the vocals and audible strumming. With upbeat lyrics such as: “But I can’t see too far / I’m bouta get in my car / She bouta pop that bra / Show you who you are,” the song begs to be put back in that slow R&B rap of Hole Erth.
“Undercurrent” comfortably dives where “Madonna” floundered, bringing back that saccharine longing the rest of the album is savoring. A bright opening phrase of piano follows the guitar into the song, filling the sound with a dream-like haze. The lyrics continue the feeling, the refrain trying to capture the feeling: “Yeah, I don’t need you / I can see through / Yeah, you see-through / I guess it’s me too.” There’s a slight change as it moves into the chorus, with high piano notes beginning to echo the phrases back at the singer – “Can you feel the undercurrent? / I can hear you / I can hear you through the noise.” In the song’s Hole Erth version, the echo was done through vocals repeating the phrase, and this change makes the song feel like it is communicating with itself on every level instead of functioning as more of a duet.
The final song opens with soaring strings to beckon in the vocals “Might wanna call ahead” to warn of what could happen next. “Starlink” skips glaive’s chorus from Hole Erth to slow the song down. Lightening up on the acoustic guitar, it instead features long, unwavering violin notes that pull the song forward as Toro y Moi is busy: “still searching for a little peace of mind / Staring at the moonlight, a new person.” The song fades out after with a long instrumental break, leaving room to reflect.
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